Not Fooling Anyone
by laloga
Summary: After a transport crash separates them on a distant world, Rex and Ahsoka have to find their way back to one another, with the help of another Jedi and a clone captain. One-shot. Hints of Rex/Ahsoka and OC/OC.


_A/N: So, this is my first attempt at writing Rex and Ahsoka; both of them were a lot of fun to explore and I hope I did the characters justice. As for my OCs, if you are unfamiliar with them, this might be a good introduction. On that note, this story alludes to _All or Nothing_ and takes place after _Untouchable, _though you will enjoy it even if you have not read those fics_.

_Thank you sachariah for your insights into Rex and Ahsoka! Much obliged!_

* * *

><p><strong>Not Fooling Anyone<strong>

Everything had been going beautifully until their transport was hit with a volley of blaster fire from the fleeing Separatist gunships. After that, there had been several minutes of screaming metal as the bulkhead was rendered from the frame of the LAAT/i; flashes of light from the slotted windows cast bizarre shadows across the faces of the few passengers as they were tumbled around the interior and slammed against the walls. Someone shouted. "Brace for impact!" Out of habit, Rex shut his eyes even as he grimaced beneath his bucket. _You think? _

Crashing was pretty much always the same, but this time something happened that he did not expect, something that dismayed him even more. The ship bounced off of one of the columns of rock that loomed up above the mist of the planet below and ruptured in two. As the light suddenly grew in intensity he opened his eyes to see Ahsoka on the receding half of the vessel, her form growing smaller and smaller even as Rex watched one of his brothers grab at the commander's arm; she looked like she was about to leap across the open air to reach the other half of the ship, her expression a mixture of fear and steadfast determination.

_Hang on, kid. Don't do anything reckless on my account. _The clone captain – whose name he couldn't recall at the moment – held her in place despite the fact that they were plummeting farther and farther away from the rest of the group.

There had been only a few other clones aboard the vessel, most of whom found themselves at the seam in the midsection and Rex could do nothing for them besides attempt to grasp at the air where they had been. The other half of the ship disappeared into the mist and his stomach dropped even as the side he was on veered towards the jungle below. Rex could see the trees growing closer and closer and realized that his life would probably end in a matter of seconds, but he kept his eyes open anyway as he strained to make out the other half of the vessel.

Suddenly he felt _something _wrap around him; he likened it to the emergency ejection bubbles that the starfighters were equipped with, though he could see nothing in the space around his body. _It reminds me of that time on Geonosis when the Jedi 'caught' me with the Force._

Beside him, he heard a quiet voice that somehow carried over the din. "Hang on, Captain."

The other Jedi. He'd nearly forgotten. He tried to glance at her but his head was snapped back as the world was turned upside-down, he was thrown around like a rag-doll and thankful for his armor even when everything stilled and quieted as the ship finally reached the waiting ground. As it was, he had been tossed face down into the dirt several yards from the transport half. It wasn't easy, but he managed to get to his feet while he surveyed the area with dismay. _None of the others made it._ "General Halcyon?"

A soft groan sounded from beneath the bulkhead. He moved towards it and lifted the piece of scrap metal that had fallen across her form. She was disheveled and dirty, but seemed healthy enough as she looked up at him. "Thanks, Captain." He offered his hand and she accepted, rising to her feet with only minor difficulty as she studied him. "Are you okay? I wasn't sure if I got my shield up in time."

_I always forget how many tricks they have up their sleeves, though I guess it shouldn't surprise me any longer. _"I'm fine, General. Your shield?" Though it was not the time or place, he couldn't stifle his curiosity.

The dark-haired Jedi nodded even as she began to search the sky. "It comes in handy."

Rex followed her gaze but all they could make out through the canopy of trees was pale sky. It was a remarkably pretty day for such a calamity. He looked back at her. "You're injured, sir." It was better to focus on her right now than think about the other piece of the ship. Indeed, there was a nasty gash on her lower right leg. _I'll never understand why they don't wear armor. Is it a female thing? _

General Halcyon glanced at her leg with an almost dismissive look before she met his eyes – or his visor, rather. "Is there anyone else?" Her voice was quiet and he figured she already knew the answer, so he only shook his head as he removed his helmet. Her eyes closed as she nodded and turned her face back up to the sky. For a moment she seemed to drift away. Just as Rex was about to say something, her eyes opened and her gaze met his. "They're okay," she said. "Ahsoka and Stone, I mean. I'm not sure where they are, though. Actually..." She glanced around. "I'm not sure where _we_ are."

He let out a breath of air; he could smell the acrid smoke that had begun churning from the vessel. "Good to hear they're okay, sir." Rex wondered briefly about the Jedi's communication, though he didn't feel like asking about it at the moment. _Didn't know the kid could do that. _Some of the tension in his shoulders eased. "Comm's not working. Neither's the GPS, but I think the rendezvous point is..." He turned and faced east, indicating the direction with a gloved hand.

The general nodded and ran a hand through her dark hair before looking at him. "I suppose we'd better get a move on, then?"

"Yes, General Halcyon."

"Captain," she said, putting a hand on his arm and effectively stopping him in his tracks. "Please call me Kalinda, if you don't mind."

_Is she serious? _He considered objecting, but couldn't bring himself to form the words. _Not sure how she'll take it._ However, in typical Jedi fashion she seemed to sense his hesitation.

"I dislike being called 'general,'" she explained. "But I know that goes against what you've been trained to do. Tell you what: while we're traipsing through the jungle, I ask that you at least call me 'Halcyon,' okay? The minute we get back to the others, you can revert to 'General' or 'sir' or whatever you like."

It was incredibly unorthodox, but he had to admire her candor. "As you say...Halcyon." Rex wasn't sure if he would ever get used to that, but he decided he'd try. After all, it wasn't so different from him calling Ahsoka "kid." As an afterthought he nodded to the Jedi and cleared his throat. "You can call me 'Rex,' if you like."

She grinned at him. "You've got yourself a deal, Rex."

* * *

><p>Initially, her only thought was to stay with Rex, though in retrospect it was probably not the smartest thing to do to attempt to leap across the open air to reach his half of the transport as it slipped away through the mist. Had it not been for Captain Stonewall...Ahsoka shook her head and frowned. <em>I know I'm too reckless sometimes. It's just...I didn't want anything to happen to him. <em>She stood beside the wreckage of their transport and watched as the clone captain's head tilted, as though he was speaking to someone she could not see, which she supposed he was.

After what felt like hours he nodded to himself, removed his helmet and turned to her. "They're fine, Commander Tano. Not sure where they are, but General Halcyon and Captain Rex are in one piece...more or less." He frowned at the last bit and Ahsoka felt alarm flood her.

"More or less?" Though she'd discovered that her comlink was broken she lifted it to try and call Rex anyway.

The captain shook his head and seemed to grow almost annoyed, though the feeling vanished after a moment. "The general's leg got sliced, but she's fine. Or so she says."

Ahsoka tilted her head; something was _off _about him, but she couldn't put a finger on it. _I'm just tired after everything. That must be it._ "The rendezvous point should be that way," she said, indicating the west. "We can make it if we travel through the night. Let's get a move on, Captain."

It was early afternoon on the surface and she could tell that it was going to get rather warm before too long; for now she was thankful for the shading of the thick trees and the gentle breeze that carried the scent of growing things. Everything was lush and verdant. The sound of the wind in the leaves was interspersed with birdsong and laced with the calls of insects. _At least it's a pretty place. I've crashed landed on much worse planets than Japarran. _

She glanced at the clone captain; he'd kept off his helmet and was surveying the area as they walked. Like Rex, his hair was shaved close to his head, though it was the standard trooper dark brown, and he wore a kama and pauldron, also like Rex. _I wonder if they'd get along. _There had been little time for introductions prior to the start of the mission, especially since General Halcyon and Captain Stonewall had been tacked on at the last minute. This thought made her glance around though a question was forming in her mind.

The captain looked at her. "It's more or less how I remember it," he said with a gesture to the area around them. "Though it was earlier in the season when my squad was here last." He considered something for a moment. "Must have been almost a year ago, now. It's hard to believe it's been that long...it doesn't feel like it at all."

Something in his voice made her regard him with curiosity again, but she said nothing.

They continued on.

Some time later, after the adrenaline rush had well and truly worn off and she knew they were not in any immediate danger, Ahsoka felt herself growing a little bored. _It's pretty and all here, but it's so quiet. I guess I'm too used to running around in a battlefield. _She glanced at the clone captain and he met her eyes.

Again, he seemed to know what she was thinking, though she remembered Rex telling her once that her moods were written across her face like she was a walking holonovel. "When my brothers and I were training on Kamino, it wasn't always...exciting. Sometimes it was downright dull." His mouth quirked into a smile at some memory before he continued. "Usually we just dealt with it, but one of my brothers liked to play a game to pass the time."

This caught Ahsoka's interest, even though she knew that she was too old for such nonsense. However, it intrigued her that he would bring it up. "What kind of game, Captain?"

He looked around for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "I spy...something green." There was a flash of amusement in his eyes as she sighed.

"That's not fair...there's a million trees here."

Stonewall shrugged. "I didn't say it was an easy game, Commander."

Her forehead creased as she studied him even though she pretended to be looking for the answer. "Fine," she said at last. "Is it that tree?"

"Nope."

"That bush?"

There was a smile in his voice though he kept his expression serious. "Sorry, Commander."

Ahsoka took a breath and surveyed the area around them. _Everything_ looked green now, but she was determined not to let him win. "If it's a certain leaf on one bush in particular..."

He shook his head. "I'm not _that _bad, Commander Tano."

* * *

><p>"I'd almost forgotten how lovely it is here," the Jedi said as they moved through the trees. "It's strange to think that it's been almost a year since I was here last."<p>

Rex glanced around. It was pretty, he supposed. The trees were green and swaying; the wind was soft and he could smell distant flowers. _Not that any of those things matter, really. But I suppose it's nice to not be in the middle of a desert or some volcanic planet for once. _They'd been walking for several hours and the heat was starting to make the air feel thick and heavy; Rex wished his suit's electronics were working properly as he swiped at his forehead with the back of his hand. A glance at the Jedi showed that she seemed to be comfortable in her sleeveless tunic and leggings. _Maybe I was a bit hasty on judging her for the lack of armor._ At some point she'd bound up her hair and he noticed that she had a small, reddish mark on the side of her neck.

"General, your neck," he said. "Are you injured?"

He was startled when he saw her cheeks flush and her hand crept to her skin. However, she met his eyes and gave him a wry look in the next moment. "Rex, I said _not _to call me 'General,' didn't I? I can make that an order, if you like."

_She's probably kidding, but I should drop it just in case._

They walked in silence a while longer before she paused beside a small stream, her eyes growing glazed and distant with a look that he knew meant her Jedi senses were flickering or whatever they did. Rex slid into a crouch beside her and checked the power cells of his Deece. _Eighty percent. Not bad, all things considered. _When he spoke, he was careful to keep his voice pitched low. "What is it?" It was normally not a good idea to rush a Jedi, but he disliked being out of the loop as far as nearby enemies were concerned.

Rather than respond immediately she let out a quiet curse – in Mando'a, no less – and nodded to their left. "We missed some the last time, I guess."

Before he could ask her what she meant, the sound of crashing brush and the grating of metal echoed through the forest and he lifted his blaster, aiming for their direction. When the droids appeared, it was clear that they were not expecting to come across a Jedi and a clone trooper, but there were still more than Rex cared to deal with presently. As he fired a part of him was awaiting the comforting sound of a lightsaber being drawn, but instead he heard the shrieking of more blaster-fire; a glance at Halcyon showed him that she'd raised a smaller, lithe weapon and was firing at the droids while she stood beside him.

He took a moment to admire her aim even as they demolished the clankers. When the last of the damn things had fallen she raised her brow at him as she slid the weapon back in the holster that he now noticed was at her waist. "Comes in handy," she said to his inquiring look. "I'm not the galaxy's most adept with a lightsaber, though they have their uses. I wasn't that great with this thing, either, but Stone helped me quite a bit."

"No questions here," he said as he moved to examine the fallen droids. "I'm not going to turn down a Jedi's help." Once he was certain that the tinnies were completely destroyed he looked back up at her, a question at the tip of his tongue. However, she was silent; her eyes closed halfway and her head bent as if deep in concentration. _She's using the Force again, I suppose. Must be handy. I'll have to ask the kid why she and Skywalker don't do that more often._

After a moment she nodded and smiled nodded to herself. "They're still fine," she said as she looked back up at him. "They're playing a game, actually. About thirty klicks east of here, if I remember that stream correctly. We should see them by tomorrow morning if we keep going all night." There was an unspoken question in her words and Rex nodded.

"Let's go." They walked for a few minutes more before he glanced at her. "What kind of game?"

She laughed out loud before replying. "Just something to pass the time. Stone's winning," she added, a touch of warmth in her voice.

Rex tried to study her without seeming to. Something about the way she spoke about the other captain struck him. _It's affection, _he realized after a moment. _Strange...I didn't think the Jedi felt such things._ But that wasn't a fair thought. General Skywalker seemed to show genuine affection for "Snips," and he'd noticed that she was fond of her Master. _But this is different...I wish I could put my finger on it._

The Jedi glanced back at him and he realized that he'd been standing in place. "Rex? Are you coming?"

* * *

><p>Ahsoka watched as the captain's head tilted to the side and for a moment she wished that she has a reliable comm system as the clones did. After a few minutes he nodded and turned back to her, removing his helmet as he did so. "They ran into some rogue droids, but they took care of them." There was a trace of pride in his voice.<p>

She'd been leaning against a nearby fallen log, fiddling with her comlink while she'd waited for him to contact Rex. "This thing's useless," she said with a sigh as they began walking. "I wish we could get a communication system for once that would just _work _all the time. Is that so much to ask?" At her words, Stonewall began to laugh. "What's so funny?"

"Kali – General Halycon's said much the same thing on many occasions...and it's nice to hear that we aren't the only ones who have that problem."

_Did he almost call General Halcyon by her first name? _It was not unheard of, she supposed, but it was highly unorthodox. _I never thought any of them would do that. I mean, I know that she's supposed to be more relaxed about the rules, but still. _She frowned to herself. _Rex would never call my Master by his first name. Not in a thousand years. _He'd called her "Ahsoka" only once or twice in her memory and it had always been in situations of extreme duress. "I think everyone has to deal with it," she said at last. "And you're sure you can't reach anyone but Rex?"

Stonewall nodded but made no reply. After another few minutes he cleared his throat and looked around. "You never did guess what I spied, Commander."

Several hours later, night was starting to fall. They had paused at the edge of a clearing to rest for a few minutes when Ahsoka looked up. "Wow."

"What do you..." The captain's voice trailed off as he followed her gaze. Beyond them was a grove of trees, hundreds of the same kind, each one covered in thousands of tiny, white flowers. It was a breathtaking sight and she found herself rising from her seat to head towards them.

But Stonewall had already gone ahead of her. He stood at the nearest tree and put his hand up to a low branch to cup several of the blooms as he studied them. There was an expression on his face that she could only think of as _longing_ though he was smiling to himself as well. Ahsoka tried to pretend that she was not watching as he began removing some of the flowers to tuck them within a pouch on his belt; the air was heady with their scent and she felt a bit dizzy from it. _I should ask him why he's doing that, but something tells me it's really none of my business. _

After a moment he seemed to come back to reality and he looked around. "This is jessamin," he said as he moved to approach her. "It's highly toxic if concentrated into a liquid form. We tried to bring some back when we were here last, but it can't hurt to have more samples."

Ahsoka didn't quite believe him, but she had no way of contradicting his words so she nodded. "Good idea, Captain." They remained in the jessamin grove for a few more minutes before they began to move once more.

* * *

><p>Night had almost fallen in earnest and Rex smacked his hand against the headlamps on his helmet in what was proving to be a vain effort that he was certain only made him look ridiculous. They had paused to rest their legs for a few minutes; all around them the sounds of the night reverberated through the air. The buzzing of the cicadas in particular was almost deafening. He frowned at his bucket and glanced up at the Jedi, who was watching him with an unreadable expression.<p>

"Still not working?" Her voice carried across the clearing and Rex shook his head. Halcyon nodded and looked up through the canopy to the sky above them. There was only a hint of the moon, a barely discernible sliver through the treetops whose light did not penetrate the thick cover.

_Not that I mind the dark, but it helps to have a little bit of light in these situations. _He looked at the Jedi again. "I don't suppose one of those 'uses' for your lightsaber includes lighting our way?"

She smiled. "It can be." The next instant he gave a sigh of content as a glowing beam of yellow appeared at her hands and she stood up. "Ready to go? We're getting closer." The blade hummed with its customary noise and he felt himself relax a little more as he nodded and they continued on.

_I'd almost forgotten how good it is to hear that sound._ It occurred to him after a moment that she must have been in further communication with Ahsoka while he was busy working on his helmet and he found himself wondering how the Padawan was faring. _Her face when the transport was ripped apart.._.he shuddered. _Not that I felt much better about it, but she seemed...stricken. _

Beside him, the Jedi's gaze slid in his direction. "You're concerned about Ahsoka, aren't you Rex?"

It was useless to lie, though he couldn't have said why he'd lie about something like that at all. "I am, sir." He slipped back into the formal tone almost automatically, but she didn't seem to notice. "We've been through a lot together, after all."

Halcyon nodded. "I understand. I'm..." she paused as if uncertain. "I'm concerned about Stone as well. I don't like being separated from him." There was an undercurrent to her tone that made his eyebrows knit but he decided to let it pass in light of his next question.

"Not to pry, sir," he said. "But..." he frowned and she glanced at him. "Captain Stonewall. You called him 'Stone.'"

"And?"

It was difficult to voice the thought but he managed. "It's just a bit unusual for a clone to have a nickname for his nickname."

She was silent for several moments, which made him think he'd said something wrong. It was difficult to read her, especially after spending so much time with Ahsoka, whom he knew so well. _I almost know what she's thinking before she thinks it. I suppose that's what happens when you work with someone for so long. _

Finally the Jedi nodded. "I'm still not sure when it started. But I couldn't stop myself, even if I wanted to." She smiled then, the expression filled with joy and he had no clue what to make of it. Her eyes turned up to the stars and the yellow glow of her blade illumined her face. "He felt the same way. Some things are meant to be, I suppose."

* * *

><p>Ahsoka held her saber before her, taking comfort in the thrumming green blade against the darkness as they walked. Neither of them had spoken for some time, as it was almost useless to shout over the myriad of insect sounds that had begun at dusk, but now in the later hours of the night it was more quiet. On a whim she chuckled and glanced at the clone captain. "I spy something …..black."<p>

He laughed outright at this and looked around. "Do your best, Commander. I'm a pro at this game."

"I hear you talking, Captain, but I'm not hearing any answers."

Stonewall was quiet for a few moments before he raised his brow at her. "The grip of your saber. Sir."

Her mouth fell open before she looked away. She heard him chuckle again, so she sighed and looked back at him. "How did you know? Are you a secret mind reader or something?"

"You looked at it even as you said the words, Commander Tano."

_No way. There's no way I did. _She pursed her lips in thought. "I looked at it, huh?"

The clone captain seemed to consider something before he replied. "Working with Kali-" He winced. "General Halcyon, I mean...well, she's taught me to be more observant than I ever used to be. She's very..." He paused again and Ahsoka watched, fascinated, as his face seemed to grow slightly flushed even in the glow of her lightsaber. "She's very determined that I learn everything I can."

It was an awkward response and they both knew it, though Ahsoka wondered only why he'd had to correct himself about her name. _I have to ask. _"You called her 'Kali.' Isn't that her nickname?" Ahsoka had never really spoken to the other Jedi, though her master had often spoken of Kalinda, whom he had known while he was growing up.

Stonewall cleared his throat and nodded. "She prefers that I – that my squad – calls her by her name, sir." As if to make up for his lapse, his tone had reverted to a more formal one. "I realize that it's unorthodox..."

She paused and stood before him, studying the familiar face. _I know that he and Rex are biologically the same person, but they each seem so different to me. Would Rex ever call me 'Ahsoka' so casually? _"I just..." she frowned as she tried to gather her thoughts. "I've never heard of such a thing," she said at last. "I can't even imagine Master asking Rexter to call him 'Anakin.'"

He was quiet for a moment before he met her gaze. "With respect, Commander, all we clones have sometimes is our names. I suppose she's just trying to give us all a common ground." There was something in his eyes, something Ahsoka did not quite have a name for, as though it was on the tip of her tongue but she couldn't quite remember how to form the word.

_There's more, there has to be more. But I don't know what. _She nodded. "I guess that makes sense." They continued walking.

"'Rexter?'" The captain's voice was uncertain, though it held an edge of humor.

A small chuckle escaped her. "It's just a nickname I made up...I know it's silly, but he doesn't seem to mind." Thinking of Rex caused her to grow quiet and she lifted her saber, savoring the green glow that was cast ahead of them. _I hope he's still okay out there. _

Stonewall's eyes were on the bright blade and when he spoke his words were careful. "I'm sure that he appreciates the fact that you see him as more than just another clone, Commander."

"Of course I do,"she replied, glancing at him in surprise. "He's...I mean, he's Rex." She frowned and looked at their path. "He's like a friend." _Friend. _It was not quite the right word, but it would have to do.

* * *

><p>Dawn was starting to lighten the sky when Halcyon halted in her tracks, her head lifting even as her eyes grew distant. Before Rex could ask what was happening a wide grin broke across her face and she spared him a brief glance before turning away, her body tense as though she was a coiled spring. "They're close." That was the only thing she said before she leaped away from him and began plummeting through the jungle.<p>

Rex hesitated for only a split-second before he followed.

They met the others in a broad expanse of open field beneath the sky that was already streaked with gold and crimson. Ahsoka was leading Stonewall, though not by much; when her gaze fell on Rex it did not waver even as she huffed towards him. Rex met her in the center of the field as they came to a halt before one another. "Commander, are you...?"

She grinned up at him. "Yeah. You?"

"I am now." The words slipped out before he could stop them, but she didn't seem to notice as her eyes had fallen on her fellow Jedi and the other clone captain. They stood about a meter apart, but that was the only thing that indicated that there was any real distance between them. Neither one spoke but after a moment the captain glanced down at the Jedi's leg and shook his head.

"That doesn't look like _nothing_." He pulled out his medipac and nodded to a nearby fallen tree. "Let me wrap it up."

But the Jedi shook her head and put her hand over the object in his grip. "Stone. Don't worry about that right now." They looked at each other and Rex got the strange feeling that he was intruding on a private moment.

The captain nodded; in that moment Rex could read the expression in his brother's eyes, but he was not certain he believed it even as the clone spoke to her. "But other than that, you're okay?"

"I am now." The Jedi smiled at him.

Their voices were soft, but they carried. Ahsoka's brow furrowed and she glanced up at Rex. He could see that she was about to ask something, so he cleared his throat, causing the others to turn back to them. "We should get going," he said. "They'll be wondering what took us so long."

Halcyon nodded. "We certainly don't want to keep Anakin waiting, do we?"

Again, they began to walk. After some time Ahsoka moved beside her fellow Jedi and they began speaking in low tones. Rex noted that Stonewall's pace matched his and for a little while they walked in silence, though he knew that they were each listening to the Jedi.

"Thanks for looking out for Rex, Master Halcyon."

The dark-haired Jedi smiled at her. "He wasn't too much trouble. Your captain seems like a handy fellow to have around in a bind. I trust that Stonewall behaved himself?"

Rex noted the hint of a smile that crept to his brother's face, though he said nothing as Ahsoka replied. "Other than beating me at a kids' game, he was great."

"Was it 'I spy?'"

Ahsoka nodded.

Halcyon chuckled again. "He is annoyingly good at it. I've stopped falling for that trick."

_Strange. You'd think they'd have gone over all this while they were speaking through the Force or whatever they were doing. _He glanced at Stonewall, who was grinning in earnest now. "I spy?"

The other man shrugged. "It was a way to pass the time."

Rex nodded. "I suppose." After a moment he indicated the Jedi knight. "I didn't realize that the General carried a blaster. LL-30, right? She's a fair shot. Said that you helped her with it?"

"I did what I had to do," the other clone replied. "She needed something more reliable than that saber. It wasn't enough to keep her safe." There was an edge to his voice that Rex recognized. It went beyond the normal parameters of duty and he wondered if Stonewall was aware of how he sounded. He thought so, for in the next moment the other clone captain cleared his throat and cast him a wry look. "It was her idea."

"Are all Jedi so bossy?" Rex pitched his voice to reach Ahsoka, grinning to himself as she turned and gave him a look that he knew well.

"It's not polite to talk about someone behind their back, Rex."

"My apologies, kid."

She rolled her eyes and glanced at Halcyon, who had the unmistakable expression of someone trying not to laugh. "See what I have to put up with? I hope you don't have this much trouble with Captain Stonewall."

The dark-haired Jedi cast a look back at her captain, who met her gaze. "Oh, Stone's given me no end of trouble," she replied. "But I find that I don't mind so much."

* * *

><p>By mid-afternoon they reached the rendezvous point and met with the other group. It gave Rex a sense of normalcy to be among his men again and surrounded by the bustle of army life. <em>It didn't feel real at times, <em>he thought as he looked behind him at the lush Japarran jungle. _It almost felt like a dream. _

Ahsoka was in discussion with the other Jedi, though after some time the group broke apart and she came to stand with him as they studied the terrain. After a moment, Rex glanced at her. "I forgot to thank you, Commander."

"What are you talking about, Rexter?"

He smiled at the nickname. "I was just thinking how handy it'd be to have the Force. If you and General Halcyon hadn't been able to communicate, things might have been much harder. Why don't you and General Skywalker do that, if you don't mind me asking?"

She gaped at him. "We weren't...it was you and Captain Stonewall who were talking over your comms, wasn't it?"

For several moments they stared at each other then turned to look at the clone captain and the Jedi who even now were seated together on a fallen log at the perimeter of the makeshift camp. She had broken a protein bar in two pieces and handed him one half; however, he'd reached into his belt and removed a single white flower. For a moment he twirled it between his fingers until she extended her hand. The captain placed the flower within her palm and she studied it before meeting his eyes again. Neither one was smiling, but they were looking at each other as if no one else existed.

Though they did not touch or make any indication otherwise, something was almost tangible between them. Ahsoka shook her head. "So it was _them_? That's...I mean...wow." She cast a sidelong look at Rex, whose expression had grown thoughtful.

"Wow is right, kid."


End file.
